1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the field of devices for opening the entrance leading into the interior of a trash bag, and more particularly to a novel frame for this purpose that is readily handled by the user and manually inserted inside the mouth of the bag so as to bear against the inside of the edge marginal region thereof to maintain the entrance in a temporarily open condition.
2. Brief Description of the Prior Art
In the past, it has been the conventional practice to pick up trash, and particularly yard debris, by raking the debris into a pile for subsequent introduction into a trash bag. In some instances, the trash bag takes the form of a plastic bag which is placed inside a rigid container, such as a barrel, with the upper edge marginal region of the bag folded over the edge of the barrel so that the mouth leading into the interior storage compartment of the bag is maintained open. Then debris can be picked up from the pile and introduced into the storage compartment of the bag. Subsequently, when the bag is loaded, the bag entrance is then sealed and the bag withdrawn from the rigid barrel for eventual disposal Another method involves the user's using one hand to hold the bag edge marginal region in an upward position while gravity maintains the other side of the edge marginal region on the ground as the user uses his other hand to rake the debris into the storage compartment of the bag.
Problems and difficulties have been encountered when using either one of these methods which stem largely from the fact that the former methods employ a rigid barrel which is expensive and represents an item which is not really necessary for the gathering and disposal of the debris. The latter method is highly inefficient since it is difficult to maintain the opening of the bag expanded to permit easy insertion of the debris. Under normal circumstances, the entrance has a tendency to collapse during the raking process which causes a large portion of the debris to miss the bag and fall exteriorly thereof.
Therefore, a long-standing need has existed to provide a novel and economical means for maintaining the entrance of a trash bag open so that the user may readily hold the bag with one hand and transmit debris, trash and other foreign matter into the bag with the other hand.